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4 Tips For Taking Down Christmas Lights

Great ideas for putting up, taking down and packing away your festive decorations

Take down and store Christmas lights correctly to keep them in good condition year round

Anyone who enjoys decorating the house and tree will love these great solutions for storing and managing decorations.

Use these techniques pack away string lights to keep them damage-free, so you can hang them up next season without spending hours untangling the cords or replacing broken bulbs.

1. Store in a plastic bag

An easy way to store holiday lights according to usage is to put each string in a separate plastic bag with the location marked on it.

Make sure the lights are untangled and the bulbs intact before putting them in the bags, storing them in a safe spot. An easy way to store holiday lights according to usage is to put each string in a separate plastic bag with the location marked on it.

Make sure the lights are untangled and the bulbs intact before putting them in the bags, storing them in a safe spot.

An easy way to store holiday lights according to usage is to put each string in a separate plastic bag with the location marked on it

2. Make a light stand

If you use dozens of light strings each year, storage can be tricky.

To make stands for the lights, cut timber to fit the bases of plastic storage tubs and attach dowels 50mm from the ends using screws.

Wrap the string lights around the dowels in a figure-eight pattern and put the stands in the tubs.

You’ll be amazed how many light strings you can store on the stands without tangles or damage.

If you use dozens of light strings each year, make wooden stand to store them easily year after year

3. Recycle cardboard boxes

Here’s a simple way to recycle old boxes and keep string lights from getting tangled when in storage.

Cut pieces of cardboard into the shape of flat spools with slots on the ends, like the type used for twine, ribbon and thread.

Wrap one light string around each storage card, label them and put in a plastic tub until next year.

Cut pieces of cardboard into the shape of flat spools with slots on the ends, like the type used for twine, ribbon and thread

4. Use a broom handle and a hook

Putting up and taking down lights on a tall outdoor or indoor tree can be dangerous. Make it safer by using a paint roller extension pole or broom handle with a hook.

Cut the hook from a wire coathanger or make one from heavy-gauge wire, securing it to one end of the pole with duct tape to stop it sliding around.

TIP The pole hook is also useful for hanging ornaments up high.

Take down Christmas lights by using a paint roller extension pole or broom handle with a hook

Wrap up Christmas trees

When dismantling an artificial Christmas tree, use the ribbons it was originally packed with to tie up the boughs of each section.

When the ribbons wear out and you need substitute ties, use rolls of self-adhesive bandage to wrap the branches for storage.

Strong and re-usable they’ll do the job without damaging the tree or breaking the budget.

When dismantling an artificial Christmas tree, use the ribbons it was originally packed with to tie up the boughs of each section